Airports, hotels, cafés, and even shopping centres provide public charging stations where you can charge your phone or laptop on the go.
They’ve made headlines recently when the FBI issued a warning to stop using them.
Crooks have found out how to use USB ports to put malware and monitoring software into gadgets as they charge.
Yes. This really happens 🙁
The security danger of “juice jacking” was long assumed to be more theoretical than real, but the technology required to carry out an assault has become smaller, cheaper, and easier to employ. This means that less sophisticated crooks are now dabbling with it.
So, how does it work?
The most commonly used charging cords, USB-C and lightning, provide two functions. They have both charging and data pins.
You only utilise the charging pins when charging your device. However, a compromised charging port – or a cable left behind by someone – could use both charging and data pins without your knowledge.
Criminals can install malware on your smartphone using data pins, giving them access to your credentials and other data. It’s similar to plugging your phone into someone else’s computer.
To avoid the risk, always bring your own charger and cable with you and connect it into a power outlet. If you have no alternative but to utilise a public USB port, consider purchasing a USB data blocker. This stops data transfer but allows the device to charge.
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